Copying-bath.



No. 642,547 Patented Jan. 30, mod. 6. n. oouamv.

COPYING BATH.

(Application filed May 13, 1899.)

(No Model.)

"H I JH INVENTOR 6 q aiy fiifloz igiy Aflorney UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE R. DOUGI-ITY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

COPYING-BATH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 642,547, dated January 3-0, 1900.

Application filed May 19, 1899. Serial No. 716,663. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE R. DoUoHTY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Copying-Baths; and

- I do hereby declare the following to be a full,

clear,- and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to copying baths; and it is intended by the present construction to overcome numerous disadvantages and inefficiencies heretofore encountered in such devices, and particularly to insure a thorough saturation of a number of copying cloths or blotters with water or other liquid and maintainin g such devices in a desirable moist condition for a considerable period and ready for use at any time. a

The invention consists, essentially, of a receptacle having a water or liquid feed at one end, a hollow cover with a perforate waterdistributer, the bottoms of the distributer and the receptacle having absorbent pads thereon, the pad of the receptacle being provided with capillary feeding devices.

The invention further consists of the details of construction and arrangement of the several parts, which will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the bath shown closed. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the bath shown open andready for use. Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal vertical section of the bath as shown arranged in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective View of a portion of a pad used in the receptacle part of the device.

Referring to the drawings, wherein similar numerals are employed to indicate corresponding parts in the several views, the numeral 1 designates a receptacle which may be of any desired dimensions and preferably constructed of galvanized iron or other non-corrosive sheet metal. The said receptacle is completely open at the top and has surrounding sides and ends and a closed bottom, and extending entirely across one of the ends and the major part of the opposite sides are inwardly-projecting flanges 2, the side flanges being attached to or made continuous with an angular abutment 3, transversely crossing the receptacle near the end opposite to that having a flange similar to the side flanges. This abutment 8 stands above the bottom of the receptacle, and therefrom to the nearby end a supplemental bottom strip 4 is positioned and has apertures 5 therein at suitablev intervals. This supplemental bottom, with the end of the receptacle to which it is attached and the adjacent portions of the sides and abutment, forms a liquid-reservoir feedreceptacle for the reception of water or other liquid which flows down through the openings 5 and is absorbed bya felt or other suitable pad 6, held by the flanges 2 and the over hanging edge of the abutment 3 closely to the bottom of the receptacle. The exposed edge of the pad is free to take up the water or liquid flowing down from the openings 5 of the supplemental bottom 4, and to facilitate this operation the bottom of the said pad has a series of wick-strips 7 secured thereto, which by capillary attraction induce a thorough saturation of the pad 6 by equally distributing the moisture thereover. The ends of these wickstrips 7 are also free to take up the water or liquid from the reservoir-feed specified and are disposed lengthwise of the pad in close relation. With the said receptacle a lid or cover 8 is used, the sides being turned down and bent inwardly at 10 to form a support for an upper moistening-pad 12. Above this pad and resting upon it is a distributing-plate 9, provided with a series of perforations 11 at regular predetermined intervals, and the number of said perforations Will depend upon the dimensions of the device, and they will be positioned to best serve their intended purpose. An open space is left between the upper surface of the distributing-plate and the top of the cover for free circulation of water or liquid therein. In the center of the upper side of the top or cover an opening is formed having a reticulated closure 13, with a top flange 14 surrounding it. The reticulated cover 13 serves as a strainer to exclude dust, and the surrounding flange has the function of a funnel when pouring water or liquid into the cover. To conveniently elevate the entire lid or cover 8, a handle 15 is movably attached near one end.

In order to charge the bath so as to moisten the cloths or blotters, water or other liquid is poured on the supplemental bottom 4 and is taken up by the lower pad 6, which becomes thoroughly saturated, and on this is placed a number of copying cloths or blotters. The lid or cover 8 is then closed into the receptacle, and water is poured through the reticulated covering 13 and passes through the perforations ll into the pad 12. In passing through the reticulated covering 13 the water or other liquid is spread over the bottom 9, passes through the perforations therein, and the said pad 12 becomes thoroughly saturated with moisture. By this means the copying cloths or blotters contained in the device are gradually and regularly moistened simultaneously from below and above, and when it is desired to use them the lid or cover 8 is elevated by raising the handle 15 and held in the position shown in Fig. 2 through the medium of the abutment 3. This is a very convenient mode of supporting the lid or cover, andin primarily placing the latter in the receptacle the end thereof farthest from the handle 15 will be located directly over the supplemental bottom 4. The distance between the ledge and the adjacent end of the receptacle being slightly greater than the thickness of the entire lid or cover, the end of the latter that rests over the supplemental bottom and the recess formed between the abutment and the adjacent end of the receptacle will freely move in said recess when raised and lowered by the handle 15 and be always held in proper relation to the receptacle 1 for instant opening or closing operations.

When the lid or cover is supported in the position shown by Fig. 2, it will have the resistance offered by the abutment on one side of its engaged end and will be propped at the opposite side by the adjacent end of the receptacle, and by this arrangement and operation it is unnecessary to remove the said lid or cover entirely from the receptacle. The copying cloths or blotters are located between the abutment 3 and the end of the receptacle farthest therefrom, and therefore will not interfere with the operation of the lid or cover just explained and will be also free for removal from or replacement in the receptacle.

By thoroughly moistening the copying cloths or blotters in the manner set forth dry spots are avoided and irregularity in copying a letter is overcome and the top and bottom cloths or blotters will be equally moist, so

' that when in the press under the same amount of pressure the copies resulting from their use will have an even appearance and not show one letter or word neatly copied and the next blurred. The top or cover will also contain directions for the use of the device, and the amount of water or liquid to be poured in will be proportionate to the number of cloths or blotters employed.

One of the greatest advantages that accrues from the use of the present form of device is that the cloths orblotters will always be ready for use at any time, and the several parts being of compact form will occupy but little space.

In the event that'the felt pads wear out they can be readily replaced at a very small cost by simply pulling out the old ones and inserting the new ones in place thereof.

Changes in the dimensions, proportions, and minor details of construction can be resorted to without in the least departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof. v

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In a copying-bath, the combination of a receptacle having a moistening-pad therein and a supplemental bottom, and a lid or cover removably fitting the said receptacle and also provided with a moistening-pad, whereby copying cloths or blotters may be moistened simultaneously from above and below.

2. In a copying-bath, the combination of a receptacle having a water or liquid feed at one end, a pad in the lower portion thereof, a supplemental bottom, a lid or cover provided with an upper opening and a perforated water-distributer, and a pad on the lower part of the lid or cover.

3. In a copying-bath, the combination of a receptacle having a supplemental bottom and an abutment adjacent to one end, and a lid or cover adaptedto be held elevated by the said abutment and provided with a perforated water-distributer and a pad.

4:. In a copying-bath, the combination of a receptacle having a water orliquid feed at one end, comprising a supplemental bottom and an abutment, and a lid or cover having a handle near one end and adapted to rest at the opposite end upon the said supplemental bottom between said abutment and end wall of the receptacle.

5. In a copyingbath, the combination ofa receptacle having an absorbent pad therein, a supplemental bottom, and a lid or cover having an opening with a reticulated covering in the upper portion thereof, a perforated water-distributor, and an absorbent pad under the latter the two pads being arranged to receive blotters or cloths therebetween whereby they may be simultaneously, moistened from above and below.

6. In a copying-bath, the combination of a receptacle having a supplemental bottom and an absorbent pad in the lower portion thereof, and a removable lid or cover also carrying an absorbent pad.

7. In a copying-bath, the combination of a receptacle havinga perforated supplemental bottom near one end and a transverse ledge or abutment, an absorbent pad held against the bottom, and a lid or cover provided with a perforated water-distributer and an opening for the admission of water, and also provided with an absorbent pad next to the distributer.

8. In a copying-bath, the combination with a receptacle having a supplemental bottom,

of a pad of absorbent material, aWater-resering device, of a cover provided with an ab- 10 voir in said receptacle and a capillary feeding sorbent pad forming the bottom, and a Waterdevice leading from said receptacle to said abdistributing device.

sorbent pad and a cover having a water-dis- In testimony whereof I affix my signature tributer and a pad. Y .in presence of two Witnesses.

9. In a copying-bath, the combination with GEORGE E. DOUGHTY.

v a receptacle provided with a water-reservoir,a Witnesses:

perforated supplemental bottom and abnt- SAMUEL H. JOHNSON, n1ent,an absorbent pad and a capillary feed- FRANCIS W. TREADWAY. 

